High tension electric circuit completing device



Sept. 29, 1936. 3 BASSE 2,056,118

HIGH TENSION ELECTRIC CIRCUIT COMPLETING DEVICE Filed Feb. 17, 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

FIG. 6 Ma. 7 3

' C. BASSE Sept. 29, 1936.

HIGH TENSION ELECTRIC CIRCUIT COMPLETING DEVICE Filed Feb. 17, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Charles Basse ATTORNF Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES man TENSION atac'nuc cmonrr COMPLETING mzvrca Charles Base, Wichita, Bans. Application February 17, 1936, Serial No. 64,308

4 Claims. (01. 200-118) My invention relates to a device for completing circuits for high tension electric currents. This device is especially applicable to electric signs and the like, employing neon gas tubes, which become illuminated by a high tension electric current passing therethrough as is well understood. It is also well known that it is practical to use only a limited number of feet of tube in one piece, therefore if the sign is such that more than the maximum number of feet is required, it becomes necessary to use two, three or more tubes which are connected in series. Thus, if one of the tubes loses its gas content, or it becomes broken, or so that the current will not 5 flow through the tube, the illumination of the tube be thereby discontinued and the circuit through all the tubes be thus broken, the entire sign would lose its illumination. I have provided in the following described device, means which may be connected between the ends of each tube, which upon the failure of the current to pass through that tube will act to complete a circuit around that tube and those tubes that are still in good operative condition will continue to be illuminated. In a sign of the kind mentioned, the tubes will vary in length. This is due to the particular make up or design of the sign and of course tubes of varying lengths are subject to varying electrical loads. Taking this fact into consideration, it is obvious that a device having a spark gap such as I have provided, and said device being connected between the ends of the individual tubes, the spark gap must vary in length because of the varying load of the tubes.

Therefore, I have provided a device of the kind mentioned in which the length of the spark gap may be adjusted to suit the particular condition being dealt with. There are numerous devices, which may be constructed that will complete the circuit, as above mentioned, some of which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Now referring to the drawings, Fig. l is a view showing a sign composed of a plurality of tubes and showing the application of my invention.

5 Fig. 2 is a side view of my circuit closing device.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my circuit closing device. Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in 50 Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an end view of the fusible element. Fig. 7 is a side view of the fusible element, part of which is broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 8 is an end view of the fusible element, the end shown being opposite to that 85 shown in Fig.6. Fig. 9 is a side view of my circuit closing device, in which the device is provided with a weather shield which is shown in section. Fig. 10 is a sectional view, taken along the line XX in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is an end view of the device as seen from the left hand end of 5 the view shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a sectional view of still another form of the modified form of the invention. Fig. 15 10 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 14.

Similar numerals of reference refer to the same part throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In Fig. l is shown a sign consisting of three let- 15 ters A, R, M, each letter being composed of a. single tube, and the ends of the adjacent tubes being joined together by a wire 'so that the tubes are connected in series to provide a circuit which includes each tube, and between the ends 20 of each tube is connected one of my circuit closing devices as illustrated at ai, a2, and a3.

The circuit closing device comprises a tubular element 20 which is made of material that is a nonconductor of electricity. The ends of the :5 tube 20 are closed by cap elements 2| and 22 which are threaded on the tubular element 20, said cap elements 2| and 22 are also made of material that is a nonconductor of electricity. At 23 is a screw element that is threaded through the cap element so 2| on the center axis thereof and the inner end of the screw 23 is provided with a contact plate 24 which is rigidly threaded on the screw 23. At 25 is a lock nut threaded on the screw 23 which engages the cap 2| to lock the screw 23 in ad- 35 justed positions. At 26 is shown a thumb nut which is threaded on the screw 23 to engage a wire 21 and rigidly bind it between the lock nut 25 and thumb nut 26 for electrical contact purposes. The screw 23 is provided with a head 28 40 and an eye 29 to receive a screw driver which may be employed for adjusting purposes as will later be described. The head 28 is employed to distinguish between the screw 23 and the screw 30 on the opposite end of the device.

At 30 is a screw element threaded through the cap 22 on the center axis thereof, said screw being provided with a lock nut 3| which is threaded thereon and is adjusted to engage the cap 22 to hold the screw 30 in adjusted positions. At 32 is a thumb nut that is threaded on the screw 30 and is adjusted to bind and hold a wire 33 between the lock nut 3| and the thumb nut 32 for electrical contact purposes. The outer end of the screw 30 is provided with an eye 34 to receive a screwdriver by which the screw 36 may be turned for adjusting purposes as will later be explained. a

At 35 is a fuse element having a shoulder 33 and an extended fuse portion 31 which is provided with a plurality of holes 33. The body portion 7 35 is hollow and threaded as shown at 36 so that the element 35 may be rigidly screwed on the inner end of the screw 36. For the holes 38 may be substituted hook elements on the portion 31 to retain the outer end of the spring 40, the same as the holes 33 will hold the spring 43 as'will be understood from the following description.

At 40 isa helical spring element'positioned around the element 35, one end of said spring 40 being seated on the shoulder 36 of the element 35, said spring being compressed until the outer end of the spring may be passed through one of the holes 38 in the fuse element 31. The outer end of said spring 40, is adapted to engage the contact plate 24 upon the release of the spring 40, from the fuse -element 31. At 20a is a small hole through the wall of the tubular element 20, which provides an air passage to eliminate air pressure within the tube 23, at such times as an electric arc may occur, between the contact plate 24 and the end of the element 31.

It has been learned from experience that this device operates very satisfactorily out of doors in fair weather, but in rainy, wet weather the insulating elements become coated with moisture and there is a tendency for the high tension current to travel through this moisture and are between the nuts 35 and 2|, therefore I have provided a shield element 4| which is an inverted U-shaped element having a thickened body portion 4| :1: on either side of which is provided with a flange like portion Ho and 5lb, which forms a recess in which is seated a resilient material such as rubber, so that the shield 4| may be slipped over the tubular element 20 and the element 42 will grip the element 20 to hold the shield over the circuit closing device so as to protect it and its metallic ends thereof from moisture in wet weather. The outer ends of the element 4! are provided with flaring portions to prevent moisture from draining into the interior of the shield and the lower end points of the shield are dropped as at 41c so as to drain moisture away from the circuit closing device.

In Fig. 12 is shown a tubular element 42 which is made of material that is a nonconductor of electricity and in which is rigidly mounted a metallic ferrule 43, in which is threaded a screw 44, said screw being provided with an eye 45 to receive a screw driver by which the screw may be turned for adjusting purposes. At 46 is a locknut threaded on the screw 44 and adapted to be screwed against the ferrule 43 to bind the screw 44 in its adjusted position. At 41 is a thumb nut threaded on the screw 44 and is adapted to hold and bind a Wire 3311 between the lock nut 46 and the thumb nut 41 for electrical connection purposes.

At 48 is a second metallic ferrule rigidly mounted in the element 42 and is positioned diametrically across the tube from the ferrule 43.

At 49 is a screw that slidably passes through the ferrule 48. On the inner end of the screw 49 is threaded a fusible cap element 35a, having an extended fuse element 31a that is provided with a hole 38a. At 50 is a hair pin shaped spring element, one end of which passes through the hole 330 in the element-31a. The other end of the spring luisprovidedwith an eye. through which passes the screw .49, so that the eye end of the spring 56 may be rigidly bound between the ferrule 48and the fuse cap 351: by screwing the lock nut H which is threadedon the screw 48 tightly against the ferrule 48. Said spring 50 having an urge to expand to the dotted position 56a as will later be explained. At 52 is a thumb nut threaded on the screw 49 and adapted to engage and bind the wire 210. between the lock nut 5i and thumb nut 52 for electrical connecting purposes.

In Fig. 14 is shown a tubular element 53 which is made of material that is a nonconductor of electricity. In one end of the tube 53 is a metallic ferrule 54 which passes throughthe wall of the tube 53 and is rigidly set therein. At 55 is a screw element that is threaded in the .ferrule 54. The screw element 55 is provided with an eye 56 to receive a screw driver by which the screw may be turned for adjusting purposes as will later be described. At 51 is a lock nut that is threaded on the screw 55 and adapted to engage the ferrule 54 to lock the screw 55 in its adjusted position. At 58 is a thumb nut that is threaded on the screw 55 and is adjusted to engage and bind a wire 21b between the nut 51 and the thumb nut 58 for electrical connecting purposes.

At. 59 is a leaf spring positioned within the tube 53, the lower end of which is provided with a hole through which a screw 66 may pass. The screw 60 is provided with a head 6|, said screw passing through the lower end of the wall of the tube 53, so as to bind the lower end of the spring 59 between the head 6i of the screw 60 and the wall of the tube 53.

At 62 is a lock nut that is threaded on the screw 60 and screwed tightly against the tube 53, so as to make rigid the assembly of the spring 59 in the tube 53. The spring 59 is tensioned so as to be urged to take the dotted position 590. and contact the inner end of the screw 55. At 63 is a thumb nut that is threaded on the screw '66, and adapted to engage and bind the wire 33b between the nut 62 and the thumb nut 63 for electrical connecting purposes; At 64 is a fusible wire, looped to receive the upper end of the spring element 59, the ends of said element 64 pawing through the wall of the tube 53 and being twisted or tied so as to hold the upper end of the spring 59 from engagement with the inner end of. the screw 55. The element 64 may be made of fusible material, such as a fusible wire, or it could be made of a cotton or silk or fibrous inflammable material thread.

The operation of my circuit completing device is as follows: The device is placed in the circuit as previously described and shown in Fig. 1. The

spark gap in the circuit completing device is my circuit closing device the letters A and M would also lose their illumination because the letter "R" has broken the circuit. However, by using my circuit completing device, when the tube forming the letter R" went bad, the current would jump the gap and form an electric arc between the contact plate 2| and the end of the fusible element 21 and melt the material of the end 31 and release the end of the spring 40 that is in the first hole 38 whereupon the spring 40 will expand and project itself to engagement with the contact plate 24, whereupon the circuit broken by the letter R is completed and the letters A and M remain illuminated. The circuit completing device al and a3 will function the same for the letters A and M" as the circuit completing device a2 did for the letter B.

When the letter R" is restored to working condition, the cap 22 may be removed from the tubular element 20 and the spring may be removed from the tubular element 20 and the spring may be compressed and the outer end thereof positioned in the second hole 38 which would now be the first hole and the cap 22 replaced on the tubular element 20 and the screw 23 readjusted to provide the proper gap whereupon the device is ready for reuse, and having been used a second time, the outer end of the spring 40 may be placed in the third hole 38 which would then be the first hole and the device readjusted whereupon it is ready for use the third time. It is obvious that the device may be used as many times as there are holes 38 in the element 31, and when the holes 38 have all been used, the element may be removed from the screw 30 and be replaced with a new element 35 whereupon the device is ready for multiple use again as above described.

Referring to Figs. 12 and 13, is shown a modifled form of the invention which serves the same purpose of the device above described. The adjustment of the length of the gap is made by screwing the screw 44 in or out as will be readily understood, and the electric arc occurs between the end of the screw 44 and the end of the fusible element 31a whereupon the spring 50 is released and moves to the dotted position 50a to contact the end of the screw 44 and complete the circuit for the purposes before described. The fusible cap 35a may be replaced the same as described for Fig. 3 and may have one or more holes 380 as and for the purposes previously described.

In Figs. 14 and 15, is shown still another modification of the invention in which the leaf spring 59 is held from contacting the screw 55 by a fusible or inflammable element 64 which is tied to the wall of the tube 53 and the spring 59 having thus been retained, the gap between the spring 59 and the inner end of the screw 55 may be adjusted by screwing the screw 55 in or out. The device functions as previously described, the electric arc taking place between the end of the screw 55, and the fusible element 84, or if the element 64 is an inflammable material, the electric arc will occur between the end of the screw 55 and the end of the spring 59, and the heat therefrom will melt or burn the element 84 in two and release the spring 59 so that it will take the dotted position 59a and completes a circuit between the screws 55 and 80, as and for the purpose previously described.

Such modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intention of the invention. Now, having fully describedv my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In a circuit completing device for high tension electric currents; an enclosure, a screw threaded in and passing through each end of said enclosure; a fusible element on the inner end of one of said screws; a spring element, said spring element being carried under compression on said fusible element; a contact element on the second screw, and means for holding said contact element in adjusted spaced relationship with respect to the end of said fusible element; said fusible element functioning to release said spring so it will expand and contact said contact element upon the occurrence of an electric are between said contact element and the end of said fusible element.

2. In a circuit completing device for high tension electric currents, as in claim 1, and means for rigidly attaching wires to said screws for electrical contact purposes.

3. In a circuit completing device for high tension electric currents; a tubular element and a closure element on each end thereof; a screw threaded in and passing through each of said closure elements, said screws being positioned on the center axis of said tubular element; a contact element on the inner end of one of said screws, and a fusible element on the inner end of the second of. said screws; said fusible element having a body portion having a bore therein to receive the end of the screw on which the fusible element is supported, a flange on one end of said fusible element and a perforated projecting fuse portion on the other end thereof, a spring element, said spring element being positioned around the body portion of the fusible element, said spring being under compression with one end of said spring resting on said flange and the other end being seated in one of said perforations; said spring being released upon the occurrence of an electric are between said contact element and the end of said fusible element, and extending itself to contact said contact element to complete a circuit.

4. In a circuit completing device for high tension electric currents, as in claim 3, and means for securing a wire to each of said screws for electrical contact P p ses.

CHARLES BASSE. 

